Draft Genome Sequences of Streptococcus pneumoniae with High-Level Resistance to Respiratory Fluoroquinolones

Yoram Keness1, Naiel Bisharat2

  • 1Microbiology Laboratories, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.

Genome Announcements
|April 2, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Emerging levofloxacin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is causing treatment failures for community-acquired pneumonia. This study presents the draft genome sequences of resistant strains, aiding in understanding this critical public health threat.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a primary cause of community-acquired pneumonia.
  • Levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is vital for treating severe pneumococcal pneumonia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the draft genome sequences of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains exhibiting emerging resistance to levofloxacin.
  • To investigate the genetic basis of levofloxacin resistance in S. pneumoniae.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome sequencing of S. pneumoniae isolates.
  • Bioinformatic analysis of draft genome sequences.

Main Results:

  • Draft genome sequences of levofloxacin-resistant S. pneumoniae were obtained.
  • Identification of genetic markers associated with emerging levofloxacin resistance.

Conclusions:

  • The emergence of levofloxacin resistance in S. pneumoniae poses a significant challenge to treating pneumococcal pneumonia.
  • Genome sequencing provides valuable insights into antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
44
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis01:28

Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis

Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These...
8
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
1.9K
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
862
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
50.4K
Atypical Pneumonia01:14

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease...
13